Ruslan's POV:
No nightmares.
It seemed she possessed some kind of magic to scare away my nightmares. Those bad memories.
I glanced at the woman sleeping peacefully in my arms and my heart swelled with love for her. I love her. Every word she says, every look she gives me, her every touch just makes me fall in love with her over and over again.
Last night was the most beautiful night of my life. The words were on the tip of my tongue, last night I wanted nothing but to confess my love for her and to make it clear that I was making love to her.
But I held myself back.
I don't wanna scare her away. I wanna care for her and make her fall in love with me. Maybe. I am not sure whether she will ever love me or not.
Her back was pressed to my front and with a groan, she turned around in her sleep and buried her head in my chest and my heart warmed as I gently stroked her hair.
I glanced at the wall clock; it was eight in the morning. Usually, I wake up before it but...I didn't want to leave the bed today since I had my queen sleeping in my arms.
I gotta thank my best friend and our stupid promise which made me meet her.
She shuffled in my arms, burying her head in my chest even more. "Ruslan." She whimpered. "It's paining..."
"What's paining, love?" I asked, pressing a kiss to her head.
"Whole body." She answered.
I couldn't stop the chuckle escaping my mouth. She was being adorable. "Love, you are sore. And that's justified after the events of last night."
She groaned, her face still pressed up against my chest. "If I knew this would happen I would have never done that."
"But don't you think the pain's worth it?" I teased and felt her lips curling up in a smile.
"Maybe..." She whispered.
"I love y--" I almost slipped up. Like I said, it's on the tip of my tongue. "I loved last night." I covered my slip up quickly.
She hummed in response and then lifted her head up and looked at me with those innocent brown eyes. "Can I take a day off today? Please."
I brought her hand upto my lips and kissed her knuckles. "Of course, love."
She grinned. "Thank you!" And chuckling, I pecked her lips.
We fell into a silence and I shifted and laid on my back and she placed her head over my chest. "Ruslan?"
"Hmm?"
"I don't want to ruin your mood but...how did your dad die?" She questioned in the softest tone possible.
My mood dampened but I didn't show it. And said in a low voice. "He died... because of me..." My eyes fixed on the ceilings. Memories of those nights flashed through my mind.
"I'm sure that's not entirely true. But if you don't wanna tell... it's okay then."
I never really talked about it to anyone, not even Geordi. He knew how he died but never did I discussed it with anyone. It always made me feel guilty.
"No." I said. "I want to tell you."
"You sure?" She asked.
I nodded, not meeting her eyes. "Yes. I...I was sixteen at that time. Dad was the leader of the Searlus Mafia. Feared by everyone. I...was instructed by him to always take the guards along with me wherever I go...and I hated it. I hated that I was being guarded. One afternoon...I sneaked out alone. I was going to see my bestfriend and I didn't want those guards to follow me..."
I took a deep, shaky breath. "I was abducted. I don't remember how or when. All I remember walking down the road to see my bestfriend. I woke up in a dark room in which I was locked. The few men who brought me some water and bread, I got to know from their conversation that I was kidnapped by the Meryds. To weaken my father. To make sure the Searlus Mafia doesn't have an heir."
She gently rubbed circles over my and listened carefully.
"It took dad two days to find me and when he reached there...chaos erupted. There was a fight and the only sound that could be heard was of the guns. The leader of the Meryd Mafia was there. I don't remember much but all I remember was me running towards dad and it was at that moment, the leader, he...fired his gun at me but instead dad pushed me behind him and took the shot instead." I exhaled a shaky breath.
Alfresca climbed on top of me and rested her forehead against mine and I closed my eyes, sighing deeply. I didn't realise my jaw was clenched until she caressed it gently making me relax.
"He didn't die because of you, Ruslan." She whispered softly, her forehead against mine. "He saved you. He saved his son."
"No." My jaw clenched again. "He saved the future of the Searlus Mafia. He never cared about me, Alfresca. His last words were 'you are the future of the Searlus Mafia, Ruslan. Take it to great heights, son. I know you can do it.'"
"I was never asked what I wanted. I was always forced to do things assuming I would eventually get used to it. Mom went into a panic mode after dad's death, not because she lost her husband but because who's gonna manage everything now. She forced me to train, had me taught how to fight, how to use a gun, how to bluff." I added.
Alfresca didn't say anything, she just listened carefully.
I decided to ask her something that has been on my mind since she died. "Is it...rude to say that now she is gone, I feel...free? That I am not being controlled anymore."
Her eyes were closed and at this, she opened her eyes. "It's okay to feel free, Ruslan. She controlled your life but now that she is gone, you can do anything you want."
I hummed in response.
She continued to ask. "Did you love her?"
"No." I stated firmly. "Maybe I did as a child but as I grew up, the love faded away. Not that she loved me anyway. Just because she gave birth to me doesn't make her my mother. She never acted like one."
She sighed and placed a kiss on my jaw and asked after a pause. "So...who took care of you as a child?"
I smiled at that. "Tiana. She was someone that I could consider as my mother. The purest soul on earth, full of positivity and patience and kindness. She took care of me from the moment I was born. Was always there for me, teaching me the ways of life. Telling me it's okay to cry unlike mom who said Mafia leaders are not supposed to cry. But..."
"But?"
I shut my eyes tightly, a tear rolling down my cheek. "T-they...had her killed. I was eleven, and mom thought she was turning me too soft, having a bad influence on me. Dad shot her, right in front of my eyes. She didn't have any children, she considered me as her own and for the last time she hugged me tightly telling me it's alright. She had a smile on her face when she died. S-she--" My voice cracked and I burst into tears.
Alfresca buried her head in my neck, hugging me tightly. She didn't tell me to stop crying instead let me cry.
My body shook with sobs. "I don't wanna do this. I don't want to be a Mafia leader anymore. I don't want to...I don't wanna hurt anyone anymore. I'm tired..."
She lifted her head, tears flowing down her eyes too and she cupped my cheek and pressed her lips upon mine. I gently held the back of her neck and kissed her back softly. The tears making the kiss salty as our lips moved leisurely.
Her tongue traced my lower lip and parted them giving her access and letting her take control making me forget about my problems. Slowly, she pulled back and again rested her forehead upon mine.
I gave her a sad smile. "I'm just a broken piece, aren't I?"
She shook her head and said softly. "We are all just broken pieces trying to fix each other."
I chuckled softly at her words and kissed her forehead lingeringly. "You are a gem, Alfresca. And I am lucky to possess it."
"And I am lucky to be in your treasure." She grinned.
I pecked her lips. "Hmm...very lucky..."
I rolled her over so that she was now underneath and I brushed a strand of stray hair behind her ear. "You wanna sleep a little more?" I could see sleepiness in her eyes.
"Why not?" She said sheepishly.
I kissed her forehead. "Sleep, love." And getting off her, covered her with the duvet before I went inside the bathroom and took shower and got dressed.
.
.
.
I found Arthur working in the kitchen and I called him.
"Yes, sir?"
"What does Alfresca usually eat for breakfast?"
He looked a bit baffled by my question but answered it anyway. "Um...she likes pancakes..."
"Great." I muttered. "So, where are the ingredients to make pancakes?"
His mouth parted in surprise. "Sir. I can make them myself if you say."
"No. I want to make them myself. Just give me the ingredients and the recipe."
He didn't argue with me and nodding, he turned to take out the various ingredients while I waited patiently.
Everyone looked terrified and surprised to see me standing in the middle of the kitchen with my hands folded across my chest. And they all tried to not look at me.
I'm not that scary.
I ignored the weird looks for the first few seconds but when I grew exasperated by it, I said loudly. "Why are you all so terrified? I'm not gonna kill you all for looking at me. Relax!"
They all looked at each other in confusion, their eyes wide in surprise.
I groaned. "You gotta be kidding me. I said you all can relax! Stop being so terrified of me!"
Okay. That came out harsh cause they all flinched at my tone and I face slammed myself.
Great. You scared them even more.
I rolled my eyes and gestured them to continue with their work not bothering to explain to them anymore.
"Sir." Arthur said and I looked at him. He pointed to the kitchen counter where all the ingredients were placed. "Those are the ingredients and this..." He pulled out a recipe on his phone. "Is the recipe."
I took his phone and walked to the kitchen counter and cross checked the recipe with the ingredients.
Okay. So, I have everything I need.
Now, I have to make it.
"Do you need any assistance, sir?" Arthur inquired and I shook my head.
"No, I'm fine. How hard it could be?"
He looked unsure of it but didn't comment and walked away giving me a worried glance.
I rolled up the sleeves of my white shirt. Let's do this.
I took a bowl, which Arthur had already kept there and started mixing the ingredients mentioned in the recipe.
Firstly, I took an egg and tried breaking it into the bowl but it didn't break.
What the hell?
So, I tapped it again over the counter but a little too hard...and it got smashed all over the counter.
Great start.
A lady who worked here and was standing at the end of the counter, washing dishes looked at the smashed egg, her eyes widening and I gave her a sheepish smile but that scared her as she scurried away.
I cursed underneath my breath and picked up a kitchen towel to clean it and ended up spilling a bit of it on my shirt.
Calm down. Shirt can be washed.
Somehow, I cleaned it and for the third time, a lady came and asked if I needed assistance.
"I don't need any assistance. I swear if anyone asks me one more time, you will face deadly consequences!" I said it loud and clear for everyone to hear it. "And it would be a lot better if you all could leave the kitchen for sometime, you can work later."
They all nodded quickly and almost ran away from the kitchen leaving me alone and I sighed in relief.
I again tried breaking an egg and this time broke it successfully into the bowl and next I measured a cup of milk, which again I spilled a little over my shirt.
I saw someone placing something on the counter beside me and when I looked, the same lady who asked if I needed assistance had placed a black apron before she walked away quickly.
Apron. That's good.
I wore the apron and I swear I looked ridiculous.
Anyway.
I continued beating the egg and the milk together with the hand beater and added in it all the other ingredients.
So the next thing was to heat a pan which again was kept on the counter by Arthur and I placed it on the stove.
Now. How does this stove works?
It was a built-in one with knobs. Okay...I tried turning the knob...but it was not turning...what the hell! What is its problem?!
"What the hell are you doing, Ruslan?" I heard Geordi's voice from behind me and I turned around to see him standing at the entrance of the kitchen looking quite perplexed.
"This damn knob is not turning!" I complained to him and he literally face slammed himself.
He walked over to me and demonstrated it to me. "You have to press it a little first and then turn it, fool." And he turned on the stove under the pan.
"Don't call me a fool!" I snapped, pouting at him. "I'm trying to make breakfast for Alfresca."
"You can't even turn on the stove and you are making breakfast!" He mocked.
My eyes narrowed. "Atleast I'm trying! See, I made the batter already." I pointed to the batter in the bowl.
"And you know how to cook it?"
I shrugged nonchalantly. "Yeah. How hard could it be?"
His eyes shone with amusement and he patted my back. "Goodluck." He spoke sarcastically making me scowl at him.
And he turned around to leave. "It's better to leave than watching the food being wasted."
"Hey!" I shouted over my shoulder, offended at his comment but he only chuckled and left the kitchen.
Oh, I'm gonna show him.
I put some butter over the pan and let it melt before taking some batter batter in the measuring cups and slowly poured it over the pan.
"Oh, it's so cute and perfect." I praised myself seeing how perfectly circle it was.
I grinned happily and waited for a minute according to the recipe before flipping it over.
O-kay...just flip it.
I slowly flipped it over and--
"What the actual fuck?!" My perfect, cute pancake had lost it shape as soon as I flipped it over cause the batter was raw on the upper side and as I flipped it, it got spilled all over the pan and lost its shape.
I huffed angrily. Cooking sucks!
But I didn't give up and waited for it to cook for a minute and then I took it out on a plate.
It looked weird yet edible. Let's try another.
And that's what I did. But...
The same thing happened with the next three pancakes and when I placed them over each other on the plate, it looked so, so, so, weird.
"What are you doing, Ruslan?" I immediately turned around and sheilded the plate of pancakes with my body and my hands behind my back.
"Hi." I muttered nervously to Alfresca, who wore a floral white dress and her eyes were roaming around the kitchen looking at the mess I made.
She walked closer to me. "Why are you in the kitchen?"
"Umm..." I scratched my neck nervously.
She tried peeking over my shoulder. "And what are you hiding?"
"N-nothing...I don't know who made such a mess. I was shocked myself to walk in the kitchen and see this." I lied.
"Really?" She folded her arms.
"Yeah." I said confidently.
"Then why are you wearing an apron?"
I looked down at the black apron I was wearing which was now covered in flour and the batter.
"I...um...I was...just seeing...how an apron looks...when you...wear it." I gave her tight smile.
She eyed the apron carefully. "Hmm...looks good..."
I nodded sheepishly.
And then she burst out laughing. "You really suck at lying!"
What?
My brows furrowed. "Alfresca..." But she was busy laughing and she pushed me aside and looked at the plate of pancakes.
"You made them for me?" She asked as her laughter subsided.
I blushed. "Yeah..."
She gave me smile and took a fork and knife and cut into it and ate some of it while I waited impatiently for her reaction. And I even removed that dirty apron.
She had a neutral expression on her face as she chewed it.
"Is it edible?" I asked nervously.
"It looked horrible to be honest but it tastes good." She answered with a smile and I sighed in relief. And she cut a piece of it and lifted it up to my mouth.
I ate it and yes, it was edible.
She wrapped her arms around my waist and placed her head on my chest. "Thank you for making breakfast for me." And she chuckled softly.
I placed my forearm on her back since my palms were dirty and kissed the top of her head. "Anything for you, love."
"Yeah. But please don't do it again."
I rolled my eyes. "Never. Cooking is so ridiculous! And that stove is so weird! It was turning on! And that egg..." I continued complaining about all the things and all she did was laugh at me and pulled my cheeks.
"You are so cute, Ruslan." And she placed a lingering kiss on my cheek making me blush.
Chapter completion on: 9/9/21